Link between coffee and reduced chance of IVF success

A study in Denmark has demonstrated a link between excessive coffee intake and a reduced chance of success from in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment among women.

The research was undertaken at Fertility Clinic of Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, led by Dr Ulrik Schioler Kesmodel. The participants in the study were asked to provide their coffee consumption details both at the beginning of treatment and at the start of each subsequent cycle. In addition, details of their age, smoking habits and alcohol consumption, cause of infertility, body mass index, ovarian stimulation, was also recorded.

According to NY Daily News, the scientists studied up almost 4,000 IVF and perm injection patients. From a review of the data, the researchers found that the consumption of five or more cups of coffee a day reduced clinical pregnancy rates by 50 percent and live birth rates by 40 percent.

According to the report, as MediLine Plus discusses, this adverse impact is also comparable to the detrimental effect of smoking and suggests a link between caffeine and fertility. The research did, however, show that the effect only related to high amounts of caffeine and that there was no effect for those who drank moderate amount of coffee each day.

In terms of what is a “moderate amount” of coffee, this was defined by the Danish study as less than five cups per day. This is taken to be equivalent to less than 300 milligrams a day, or 16 ounces (473 ml) of brewed coffee.

In relation to the report, Dr, Kesmodel is reported by the website S&R as saying “There is limited evidence about coffee in the literature, so we would not wish to worry IVF patients unnecessarily. But it does seem reasonable, based on our results and the evidence we have about coffee consumption during pregnancy, that women should not drink more than five cups of coffee a day when having IVF.”